Falafels are a delightful snack for us humans. But what about your canine companion? Can dogs eat falafel?
The answer can be a bit tricky because, although chickpeas in and of themselves are safe for dogs to eat, additional ingredients that make falafel appealing for humans also make it fatal for dogs.
Here is a quick review on what a falafel is and what makes it toxic for dogs before we get into why it is.
What Is a Falafel?
The Middle-Eastern delicacy falafel first became well-known in America because to its mouthwatering taste . Falafel is often eaten on the move.
It is particularly well-liked since it can be turned vegan and is often vegetarian.
Traditionally a falafel is a patty prepared from fava beans or chickpeas, crushed up into a paste.
After being seasoned with cumin, coriander, and salt, this patty is deep-fried and served in a pita pocket or in between two pieces of pita bread.
Pickled vegetables such as beetroot, leafy green salads, and condiments such as hot sauce or tahini sauce are all excellent additions to this sandwich. Tomatoes, lettuce, and cucumbers may be added as garnishes.
Can Dogs Eat Falafel?
No. Dogs can not eat falafel because of the many different ingredients that go into making a falafel mix.
The side effects may vary, from nausea to vomiting to gastrointestinal problems.
We’ll talk about all of these ingredients so you can check other foods, to make sure they don’t contain them as well.
Because all pet owners just want to keep their little pets healthy and happy, and stomach problems brought on by something they weren’t meant to consume wouldn’t make them very happy.
Although one ingredient of a falafel mix could be interesting to try on its own as a treat. I’ll discuss it shortly, as well as how and why you need to prepare it for your dog.
Why Falafel Is Bad for Dogs
Chickpeas are mixed with additional ingredients to make falafel, which is then rolled into a ball or mashed into a patty and cooked.
It’s possible that you’ve heard that chickpeas are excellent for dogs, leading you to believe that falafel is also beneficial for them, but the situation is more nuanced than that.
You should not give falafel to your dog since many of its other components are unhealthy for canines.
Garlic
Garlic, which is poisonous to dogs, is often used in falafel. Usually, 3-5 cloves are required in a dish.
An excessive amount of garlic might upset your dog’s stomach, which could cause vomiting or diarrhea.
But it can also harm their red blood cells and result in anemia.
Onion
Another item that is harmful to dogs is the onion, which is present in large quantities in falafel.
An average falafel recipe should include roughly 1 entire onion.
Even though onions are five times less strong than garlic and belong to the same Allium family, you shouldn’t give them to your dog, particularly when combined with garlic.
Salt
Dogs shouldn’t be given excessively salty foods, such as chips or falafel, according to veterinarian advice.
A normal serving of falafel, without any pita or other accompaniments, has around 300mg of salt.
That is to more salt than a 33-pound adult dog should consume in a single day (the RDA is 200mg).
Pepper
Falafel often contains black pepper as an ingredient.
For added heat, some recipes also call for cayenne or red pepper.
Capsaicin, which is harmful to dogs, is found in cayenne and black pepper.
They lack our ability to tolerate hot meals.
It aggravates their stomach and may make them throw up.
Despite the fact that a very little quantity won’t harm children, it’s preferable to just refrain from providing it to them altogether.
Fava Beans
These beans, which are one of the most often used in falafel recipes, are combined with chickpeas to form the falafel patties and are not at all good for dogs.
A compound in fava beans known as PHA (phytohemagglutinin) is harmful to dogs.
When ingested in higher amounts, this often makes dogs throw up, have diarrhea, and experience gastrointestinal discomfort.
Fat
Falafel is fried, and dogs shouldn’t eat fried food since it’s too fatty.
The RDA for an adult dog weighing 33 lb. is 14g of fat per day; a normal meal has roughly 17.5g of fat.
What Should You Do If Your Dog Eats Falafel?
First of all, it’s best to avoid giving junk food our pet dogs.
There’s
always a danger involved in feeding fast food to dogs, even if it seems to be dog-friendly.
Second, you don’t absolutely need to take a dog to the vet if he eats falafel.
If it is a tiny amount, watching your dog over the next few days would suffice.
The dog could simply get a little stomach ache.
If a dog eats a lot of falafel, it can quickly become a major issue.
Such circumstances might also result in digestive troubles.
For help and to find out whether or not a checkup is necessary, we advise consulting a veterinarian.
The secret is to act swiftly and decisively to protect a dog’s wellbeing rather than to panic.
Final Thoughts
Dogs should not eat traditional falafels.
They often include spices, herbs, onions, and garlic, all of which may be toxic to dogs. Dogs may die from eating certain foods, especially onions and garlic.
Additionally, falafels are often deep-fried, which is bad for dogs.
Making your own healthy falafels is definitely necessary if you want to provide your dog a nutritious snack.
In which case you should bake the falafels instead of frying them.